DH
People Behind the Engine
A coalition built by residents, shaped by members, and guided by evidence.
Our team brings together lived experience, policy knowledge, campaigning skill, and digital craftsmanship. We work as a public-facing coalition, a member-led organisation, and a Justice Engine that turns concern into action.
Core people and roles
The coalition is intentionally collaborative. These roles describe the workstream, not a closed hierarchy.
MG
Governance / Member Systems
Maria Garrett Goch
Supports member decision flow, motion process, amendments, and transparent result publishing. Helps keep the democratic engine working in public and by the rules.
DT
Research / Evidence Lead
David Thomas
Tracks council documents, budgets, decisions, and policy proposals so campaigns are grounded in verifiable records. Turns complex material into clear public-facing briefings.
DC
Community Support / Residents
David Croydon
Helps residents move from concern to action with dignity and practical next steps. Makes sure people know where they stand, what can be shared, and how to escalate safely.
JH
Design / Platform Builder
John Hadman
Builds the site, systems, and accessible interfaces that turn the coalition into a living digital platform. Focused on speed, clarity, mobile usability, and reliability.
JD
Campaign / Public Affairs
Jim Deans
Coordinates campaigns, petitions, public statements, and storytelling so the coalition can move issues into the open and keep them there until they are answered.
BC
Campaign / Public Affairs
Bobby Carver
Supports the public-facing work of the coalition, helping keep campaigns visible, consistent, and connected to the experiences of residents and members.
CH
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And others
Wider coalition contributors
Many other people have contributed time, energy, ideas, evidence, and solidarity over the years. The coalition is stronger because of every person who has helped carry the work forward.
Founding members and renewal
The coalition was founded by a small group of residents who chose to keep going when the housing system kept failing people.
Founding members were Steve Parry, Barry, Daniel Harris, Maria Garrett Goch, David Thomas, David Croydon, John Hadman, Jim Deans, and Bobby Carver. Charles Harrison and others joined later. Steve and Barry are now deceased, and their contribution remains part of the coalition’s history and purpose.
After ten years, many founding and original members have given a decade of unpaid voluntary service to keep the coalition active. That commitment has helped us organise, campaign, scrutinise power, and stand with people affected by housing injustice.
The next stage is to bring in fresh perspectives and attract new steering committee members with lived experience, professional knowledge, or experience gained through their work. The goal is to strengthen the coalition with new energy while preserving its resident-led purpose.
We want people who can help organise, campaign, evidence injustice, and develop practical solutions for reform and change. This next chapter is about growing the coalition’s capacity to lead strongly on housing, homelessness, and innovation for justice.
What the team holds together
The team is designed to hold three things at once: the human work, the governance work, and the digital platform work.
Human supportPeople need a respectful route in, not just a document dump.
EvidenceEvery campaign should be rooted in a record that can stand up publicly.
AccountabilityMembers should be able to shape the work and see what happens next.
How the team works
We operate as one connected system: resident voice, governance, evidence, campaigns, and build work all feed each other.
Listen
Residents and members bring issues, questions, or new evidence.
Test
We check the records, compare claims, and decide the best route forward.
Publish
We translate the issue into a case, page, campaign, or governance action.
Follow through
We keep a visible trail so issues do not disappear after the first response.